Tenet

 3.5/4

Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Dimple Kapadia

Rated PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Violence and Action, Some Suggestive References and Brief Strong Language

Christopher Nolan is the top filmmaker working today, and I have no qualms about saying so.  No other filmmaker has a more consistent track record of excellence.  Not Spielberg, not Scorcese, not Miyazaki.  No one.  Unlike many cinematic auteurs, Nolan is at home in blockbusters.  Using practical effects and stunts over CGI and green screen work, the British filmmaker has made a name for himself as a director who can engage the mind and the spirit.  So when he announces the release date for a new film bearing his name, it's a date to mark on the calendar and one of the few occasions to reserve IMAX tickets ahead of time.  "Tenet" was easily the most anticipated movie of 2020.  Then COVID-19 hit.

Nolan is a famously secretive filmmaker, preferring to reveal as little about his films as possible before they are released.  I respect that about him.  So I will be vague describing the plot.

A man who will only be known as The Protagonist (Washington) has just foiled a terrorist attack at a Ukranian concert house.  His next assignment is to stop a plot that, if successful, would lead to something worse than the end of the world.

This is a dense film.  It requires thought and active watching.  Those who go in to turn off their brain and admire the special effects are going to become lost very quickly.  In fact, despite the fact that it has the highest budget for a film with an original screenplay (not to mention an African American protagonist), this is a relatively low-key affair.  It's certainly nowhere near as violent as "Dunkirk" (which should have been rated R) or "The Dark Knight" (which pushed the PG-13 rating to its limit).  This movie is about plot, not just mindless special effects.

Putting Nolan together with science-fiction brings to mind his earlier film "Inception," and while there are similarities, they are fundamentally very different films.  A better connection would be the 2012 film "Looper," which dealt with similar material.  "Tenet" deals with time travel, although Nolan's approach is fresh.  Most films that tackle this subject stop at the "butterfly effect."  Nolan takes it a step further.

The performances are low-key, particularly for an action movie.  But the cast brings their A-game, and that's what's important.  Rising star John David Washington (son of Denzel) certainly has the talent to carry a film, but maybe not the screen presence.  Still, he makes it work in his favor.  Robert Pattinson, never an actor of great range, is excellent as Neil, a maybe sidekick who may know more than he says.  The sultry Elizabeth Debicki appears as a strong woman caught in the middle of the plot.  Kenneth Branagh makes for a menacing villain.  And Bollywood star Dimple Kapadia appears as an arms dealer; she's a scene-stealer.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Clemence Poesy and Nolan's self-proclaimed "good luck charm" Michael Caine appear in small roles.

I've heard that many have found "Tenet" to be confusing.  Those conclusions are right.  It is confusing.  Nolan doesn't gloss over the logical paradoxes in his film.  He embraces them.  There are definitely times when I was lost, but I could see the internal logic of the film, and the story abides by its own rules.  Trying to figure out what is going on is then part of the fun rather than a trial.  My mind was engaged, the suspense was high and I was actively trying to unwind the puzzle.  And even when I couldn't figure it out (this is a movie that begs for repeat viewings), I was highly entertained anyway.

Time and time again, Christopher Nolan has proved that in order to enjoy an action movie, one need not sacrifice their brain.  There is more to movies than CGI, franchises and fan service.  And for that we should be thankful and encourage filmmakers to go down his path rather than take easy money and make carbon copies of movies we've been watching for 20 years.

I expect the best from Christopher Nolan, and he delivers.  This is one of the year's best.

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